Device for supporting mirrors, plates, panels and the like

ABSTRACT

This invention provides a support device for a mirror or like flat member in which upper and lower horizontal edges of the flat member are engaged by hook portions carried by upper and lower cross pieces mounted on a common vertical support rod by which the device is suspended. The upper cross piece is spring urged downwardly to enable the device to grip flat members of different heights.

United States Patent [191 Maggia 11 3,797,799 Mar. 19, 1974 1 DEVlCE FORSUPPORTING MIRRORS,

PLATES, PANELS AND THE LIKE [76] Inventor: Delmo Maggia, Via Servaiszoo/o/e,

Turin, Italy [22] Filed: Mar. 21, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 343,335

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Mar. 28, 1972 Italy 53053/72 [52]U.S. Cl. 248/491 [51] Int. Cl A47g l/16 [58] Field of Search 248/449,488, 490, 491

[56] References Cited v UNITED STATES PATENTS 2.604.286 7/l952 Melina248/291 3,231,230 l/l966 Mueller 248/488 X 3.550.894 12/1970 Kaplan248/488 X 3,738,606

6/1973 Millen 248/449 Primary Examiner-William H. Schultz AttorneyAgent, or Firm-Sughrue, Mion, Zinn &

[57] ABSTRACT This invention provides a support device for a mirror orlike flat member in which upper and lower horizontal edges of the flatmember are engaged by hook portions carried by upper and lower crosspieces mounted on a common vertical support rod by which the device issuspended. The upper cross piece is spring urged downwardly to enablethe device to grip flat members of different heights.

5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEUHAR 19 1914 FIG. 4

im/ ?iii-iii:

DEVICE FOR SUPPORTING MIRRORS, PLATES, PANELS AND THE LIKE Thisinvention relates to a device for supporting mirrors, plates, panels andlike flat members.

An object of the invention is to provide a supporting device asaforesaid which is of simple and strong construction, easy and practicalto assemble and which is automatically adjustable to support flatmembers of different heights.

A further object of the invention is the realization of a supportingdevice of the aforesaid type, which per- 7 mits immediate and easydismounting of the flat member supported by the device.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a supporting deviceof the aforesaid type, having component elements with maximum transversestability.

According to the present invention there is provided a device forsupporting mirrors, plates, panels and like flat members, comprising incombination:

a. a vertical cylindrical support member having suspension means at itsupper end;

b. a lower tubular cross piece secured to the lower end of said supportmember, said lower cross piece having a rectangular cross section;

0. two upwardly projecting hook portions carried at the ends of saidlower cross piece;

d. an upper tubular cross piece of rectangular cross section mountedslidably and rotatably on the upper part of said support member;

e. two downwardly projecting hook portions carried at the ends of saidupper cross piece, and

f. a spring mounted on the support member. and attached to the uppertubular cross piece to pull the latter downwardly towards the lowercross piece,

said hook portions being adapted to engage respective upper and lowerhorizontal edges of a said flat member to grip the latter by virtue ofthe force exerted on the upper cross piece by said spring.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood one practicalembodiment will now be described, by way of non'limiting example, withreference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a supporting device according to theinvention for supporting mirrors, plates, panels and like flat members;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are two transverse cross sections taken respectively onthe lines II-Il and Ill-III of FIG. 1', and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the device when in use, supporting aflat member which is shown partly broken away.

The device according to the invention comprises a vertical cylindricalsupport rod 1 carrying at its upper and a rotatable ring 2 which forms ameans of suspension for attaching the device to a fixed supportprojecting from a vertical wall, such as, for example, a hook, nail orthe like.

At its lower end the support rod 1 carries a fixed horizontal tubularmetal cross piece 3 having a rectangular cross section. The cross piece3 has centrally located holes in its horizontal faces to allow for theinsertion of the support rod 1 (FIG. 3) and is rigidly secured to thesupport rod .1 by means of screws 4 or rivets extending through the rearvertical wall of the cross piece 3. At its ends the cross piece 3carries two moulded stirrup elements 5 acting as hooks: each stirrupelement 5 has a rear wing 51 which lies againstthe rear face of thecross piece 3, a lower wing 5b part of which lies against the lower faceof the cross piece and part of which projects forwards from the frontface of the cross piece, and a terminal upwardly projecting wing 5a, ofreduced height compared with the rear wing 50, projecting upwards toform a hook portion parallel to the front face of the cross piece. Thetwo wings 5a, 5b of each stirrup element 5 are fixed to the cross pieceby means of screws 6 or rivets (FIG. 2).

An upper cross piece 7 is mounted on the upper part of the support rod 1for axial sliding movement thereon and for rotation about the axis ofthe rod 1. The cross piece 7 is similar to the lower cross piece 3 andis pro vided at its ends with stirrup elements 8 similar to the stirrupelements 5, with respective hook portions 8a projecting downwards.

The upper cross piece 7 is acted upon by a helical tension spring 9,wound around the support rod 1 and anchored at its lower end 9a in aperforation in the rod 1. The support rod 1 is provided with severalperforations 10 along its length for selective engagement by the end 9aof the spring 9 to regulate the tension of the spring.

The method of use of the device is as follows. The panel, plate, mirroror other flat member 12 to be supported is located between the two pairsof hook portions 5a and 8a and is gripped thereby by virtue of thetension of the spring 9 acting on the upper cross piece 7. Spacerelements of rubber or similar material may be interposed between theedges of the flat member 12 and the stirrup elements 5,8 which grip themember.

The flat member 12 can easily be mounted and dismounted by overcomingmanually the force of the spring 9.

The device according to the invention is able to support flat members ofdifferent heights, included within a substantial range, determined bythe length of the rod 1 and the limit of stretching of the spring 9. Thepossibility of varying the tension in the spring 9 and displacing thespring in a vertical direction by engaging it in different selected onesof the perforations 10 in the support rod, increases the range ofvariation of the height of the flat members 12 which can be supported bythe device.

In the illustrated example the vertical support rod 1 comprises a lengthof cylindrical tube: the rod 1 can, however, be formed by two or moretelescopic elements, axially slidable and lockable relative to eachother in different relative positions, to provide an even greater rangeof variation in the overall height of the support rod.

The two cross pieces 3,7 are firmly anchored to the vertical support rodll against rotation about axes perpendicular to the longitudinal axis ofthe rod, thus ensuring that the two cross pieces are always horizontaland cannot be displaced laterally relative to the support rod.

It will be appreciated that this invention, although described withreference to one example, also includes within its scope other practicalembodiments using the same inventive concept.

I claim:

1. Device for supporting mirrors. plates, panels and like fiat members.comprising in combination:

- a. a vertical cylindrical support member having suspension means atits upper end;

- b.' a lower tubular cross piece secured to the lower end of saidsupport member, said lower cross piece having a rectangular crosssection;

- c. two upwardly projecting hook portions carried at the ends of saidlower cross piece; 5

- d. an upper tubular cross piece of rectangular cross section mountedslidably and rotatably on the upper part of said support member;

- e. two downwardly projecting hook portions carried at the ends of saidupper cross piece, and

- f. a spring mounted on the support member and attached to the uppertubular cross piece to pull the latter downwardly towards the lowercross piece.

said hook portions being adapted to engage respective upper and lowerhorizontal edges of a said flat member to grip the latter by virtue ofthe force exerted on the upper cross piece by said spring.

2. Device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spring is a helical tensionspring coaxially surrounding the support member and anchored at itslower end to said support member.

3. Device as claimed in claim 2 wherein the support member is providedwith a number of perforations in which the lower end of the spring isselectively engageable.

4. Device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hook portions are formed byrespective stirrup elements secured to the ends of the respectivetubular cross pieces.

5. Device as claimed in claim l wherein the support member is formed bytelescopic elements which are relatively adjustable to regulate theoverall height of the support member.

1. Device for supporting mirrors, plates, panels and like flat members,comprising in combination: - a. a vertical cylindrical support memberhaving suspension means at its upper end; - b. a lower tubular crosspiece secured to the lower end of said support member, said lower crosspiece having a rectangular cross section; - c. two upwardly projectinghook portions carried at the ends of said lower cross piece; - d. anupper tubular cross piece of rectangular cross section mounted slidablyand rotatably on the upper part of said support member; - e. twodownwardly projecting hook portions carried at the ends of said uppercross piece, and - f. a spring mounted on the support member andattached to the upper tubular cross piece to pull the latter downwardlytowards thE lower cross piece, said hook portions being adapted toengage respective upper and lower horizontal edges of a said flat memberto grip the latter by virtue of the force exerted on the upper crosspiece by said spring.
 2. Device as claimed in claim 1, wherein thespring is a helical tension spring coaxially surrounding the supportmember and anchored at its lower end to said support member.
 3. Deviceas claimed in claim 2 wherein the support member is provided with anumber of perforations in which the lower end of the spring isselectively engageable.
 4. Device as claimed in claim 1, wherein thehook portions are formed by respective stirrup elements secured to theends of the respective tubular cross pieces.
 5. Device as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the support member is formed by telescopic elementswhich are relatively adjustable to regulate the overall height of thesupport member.